brothwell



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. BROTHWELL, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR To THE TURNER & sEYMoUE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF sAME PLACE.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 324,294, dated August 11, 1885.

Application filed Jnne 15, 1885. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. BROTHWELL, of Torrington, in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented anew Improvement in Clasps; and I do herebydeclare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure 1, a side View of the clasp complete; Fig. 2, the clasp as formed preparatory to the indentation to set the fingers.

This invention relates to an improvement in clasps specially adapted to be placed upon a bar or rods to grasp articles which it is desired to loosely suspend upon the rodsuch as banners,cards,drapery, and other articles; and the invention consists in the construction of the clasp, as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claim.

The clasp consists of a ring shaped body, a, from which extends a pair of fingers, b b. This clasp is best made from half-round or other shaped wire presenting a flat surface upon one side.

Ina clasp of this character bent from wire, if the body be bent into circular shape and the fingers turned toward eachv other, it is necessary to turn the fingers to one side, so

that they may pass each other and continue be adapted to grasp the thinnest material or articles, the fingers must be brought into the close contact before mentioned; but in bending the fingers, as above described, the operation becomes so expensive as to make the clasp an impracticalone.

In producing my improved clasp I take a piece of wire of the required length and bend the'central portion to form the ring-shaped body a and the legs I) b, the extreme end of the legs preferably turned outward one from the other, the legs and body being in one and the same plane. This bending leaves the fingers separated to some extent, as seen in Fig. 5 5' 2. To set the fingers close together and increase the strengthof their grasp, I make a sharp bend or indent, d, from the inside of the ring outward, preferably diametrically opposite the fingers. This sharp bend throws the legs forcibly together, the force depending upon the sharpness and extent of the bend. Thus constructed the clasp is ready for use.

They may be applied to a bar, rope, or whatever it may be, and so as to slide freely thereon, the ring-shaped body permitting such application and movement; and hanging free thereon, the fingers down ward,whatever it is desired to suspend may be forced between the two fingers b b, or the fingers may be conven- 7o iently separated for the introduction of such article or material, and there held by the clastic grasp of the clasp.

These clasps are adapted to many uses, among others that of suspending articles of merchandise for exhibition, as in dry-goods'. This illustration will be sutlicient inexplanation Of the utility of the invention.

The clasp may be made from wire of any desirable shape.

I claim The herein-described clasp, consisting of the divided ring-shaped body, its ends extending radially from the body to form fingers b b, the ring-shaped body indented from the inside outward to close the fingers, substantially as described.

JOHN G. BROTHIVELL.

\Vitncsses:

J. L. OORsON, F. A. HALL. 

